New guide aims to lift lid on data suppression files

Brand owners are being offered a way to plot a course through the complex world of data suppression and home mover information in a new guide which has been launched by The Software Bureau.
In total, there are 500 million deceased, goneaway and home mover records available on the market.
And it is claimed that “The Complete Guide to Suppress & Trace” will provide an extensive overview of the various suppression and home mover files available, how they compare and how to use them.
The Software Bureau insists the guide will educate brands – both directly and indirectly (through mailing service providers) – about the rationale and benefits of using suppression and trace data, as well as the things to watch out for when using each file.
To support the initiative, the company is also launching best practice webinars to anyone interested in understanding more about the use of these files.
The Software Bureau managing director Martin Rides said: “Upcoming regulation changes with GDPR and the move to opt-in will only increase the value of existing client data. Suppression and home mover files play a pivotal role in maintaining the quality of client data.
“However it isn’t always easy for an organisation to make decisions about the use of these files. It can be really complicated to try to demonstrate how the files differ, where the data originates and the rationale behind using a particular file over another. That is why we have created this guide. We hope it helps both the organisations who invest in direct marketing and the businesses providing data hygiene services to make better, more informed decisions about suppression and home mover data.”